Self-Medication in Animals

Self-Medication in Animals

A entertaining article from Science about how animals find the meds for themselves. It reminds me when we are using the evidences from clinic trials as the best source (?). Please don't forget the other types of studies.

"Finally, the study of animal medication will have direct relevance for human food production and health. Disease problems in agricultural organisms can worsen when humans interfere with the ability of animals to medicate. For example, increases in parasitism and disease in honeybees can be linked to selection by beekeepers for reduced resin deposition by their bees. A re-introduction of such behavior in managed bees would likely have great benefits for disease management. In addition, as self-medicating animals, humans still derive many of their medicines from natural products, and plants remain the most promising source of future drugs. Studies of animal medication may lead the way in discovering new drugs to relieve human suffering. "

Full text